Harry Potter and the Vampire
by Linny27
Summary: I can't really explain, but it's about Sirius' past and the woman he loved that was left behind. I just changed the genre of it, so please read and review. I would really appreciate it!
1. The Truth Comes Out

**Harry Potter and the Vampire**

**_I do not own any of the Harry Potter characters, but I do own Nikolett (a.k.a. Professor Bronte). My interpretation of the characters is my own and may not co-inside with the series; I ask that you do not point this out, because I already know. This story is written in two different ways:_**

Text- This is in real time.

_Text_- This is a memory/storytelling.

**_Please read and review this, because it is my first Harry Potter fiction and I would most appreciate your question, comments, and concerns._**

**_Thank you for reading this mindless dribble. :)_**

**_Wolflver2003_**

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**HARRY POTTER AND THE VAMPIRE**

**THE TRUTH COMES OUT**

Harry slowly walked down the corridor to Professor Bronte, his new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher's office. He had been to this particular office more times than he could even remember. With so many difference teachers for that particular class, he had been in the office for more reasons than he would like to remember.

Harry was in his seventh and final year at Hogwarts, the best wizarding school in the world—at least Harry thought so. Of course, he had never been to another one, but he had met students from two other schools in his fourth year. 

Harry loved coming to school more than anything, mostly because his Aunt Petunia, Uncle Vernon, and Cousin Dudley, the Durselys, always treated him as if he wasn't there. And sometimes, Harry admitted, he wished that it could be like that at Hogwarts; especially when it comes to Professor Severus Snape, the one man who chose not to give Harry any excuse for being alive.

But, that had nothing to do with his visit to Professor Bronte. In fact, he wasn't in trouble at all. He just wanted to talk to her. He had been sitting in his dormitory, looking at the photo album of his parents that Hagrid, the groundskeeper of Hogwarts and Harry's Care of Magical Creatures teacher had given him. Harry had looked through that album many times, but there was something this time that he hadn't even bothered to notice. 

In the picture of Harry's parent's wedding, his parents stood next to a man, Sirius Black who was his father's best friend and best man. But, now there was a woman in the picture Harry had never noticed. He figured she had been hiding for an unknown reason (since all pictures in the wizarding world could move).

There was no mistaking who the woman was, though. He admired her for her bravery for coming to the school to teach. For she was not a pureblood witch, Harry knew. But, what the other half of her was, he was never in formed of. She had begun to tell her class, but was interrupted by a distraction out in the hall that had ended the class early due to smoke filling the halls. (Peeves the Poltergeist had tossed a dungbomb into the corridor to annoy her.)

But, Harry would ask her, now. He needed answers. He didn't care if he got in trouble for being out of bed after hours. He needed to know so much that he just couldn't wait to ask her tomorrow.

He stopped in front of her office door that was slightly ajar and stayed silent; making sure it was safe to enter. He looked through the crack in the door; he noticed her sitting at her desk, writing what looked like a long and involved letter. He took a deep breath and knocked. He saw her look up from what she was writing and turn toward the door. "It's open." She called. Harry slowly opened the door as she went back to what she was writing. He walked into her office and closed the door behind him. She didn't raise her head from the letter again until he spoke.

"Um, Professor?" He asked, meekly. He wasn't afraid of her, but he was just so nervous that that was as high as his voice would go. 

She stopped what she was doing again and turned to look at him. Professor Bronte was very young-looking. She had long gold hair that fell past her thighs and was always tied back or in a very long braid. Her eyes were very light blue that made Harry think that they were almost white and they went wide as she saw who it was. "Harry? What are you doing out of bed at this time of night?" She asked, dropping her quill on her desk as she stood up.

"I have to ask you something." He said.

"Well, I'm sure it can wait until tomorrow. You have no business being out of be at this hour." She said, firmly, but kind, as she tried to escort him out. 

Harry shook his head. "No. I need to know something." 

She let out a long sigh as she gave in. "All right. What is it?" He placed his photo album on her desk and opened it to the page he wanted. He pointed to the picture of his parents and the best man and a picture of her, who was obviously his mother's maid of honor.

"Why didn't you tell me you knew my parents?"

"Oh, Harry, that was a long time ago. I didn't think it really mattered." She was lying and he could tell that she was.

"Did you know Sirius, too?" He asked, pointing to his father's best man. Her eyes became sad and she dropped her head slightly.

"Yes, I did." She said.

"You went to school with them, didn't you?" He asked. She nodded. "Then, why didn't you tell me?" She sat back down in her chair and looked at him with almost tear-filled eyes.

"Because, Dumbledore told me not to. He said that you would be asking me all kinds of questions."

"Of course I would! I know absolutely nothing about my parents and their lives before Voldemort!" He almost yelled.

"Harry, listen, if I hadn't promised Dumbledore, I would have told you, no questions asked, but I made a promise." Harry lowered his head in disappointment. She did the same, then raised it again as she got an idea. "But, he didn't say I wasn't allowed to if you asked me about it." She said, giving him a smile.

"Really?" He asked.

"Yes, what do you want to know?" So many questions were now racing through Harry's mind. What did he want to know?

"How did you meet them?" He asked.


	2. The Meeting

**THE MEETING**

_Well, I met them on my first train ride to Hogwarts in our first year. I was at platform nine and three-quarters with my mother, who is the witch in my family. I was very nervous, because it was my first year, but most importantly because I was much different that the other children. I'm not half Muggle like most think that I am. _(Harry knew she was talking about Draco Malfoy whose family disgusted Muggles.) _I am half vampire, but I would ask that you not tell anyone about that just yet._

_My mother knelt down to look my in the eye and tell me that everything was going to be just fine, that I was going to get through my first year without any problems. I believed her, of course, so I gathered my pack that I had set on the floor and only carried a single book; my father's favorite book that he had given me for my birthday, and I climbed onto the train._

_I heard people murmuring as I walked by them and I immediately knew they were talking about me. I was used to it, so I paid no attention to them. I walked by every compartment and every one of them seemed to be full or at least had a person who wasn't sure they'd want to sit with a vampire._

_I walked to the back of the train where I saw a compartment with no one in it, so I thought it would be perfect for me. I was used to being alone and I was almost sure that no one would enter the compartment. So, I went in and I took a seat in the very back corner and I pulled out my book. As I was reading it, I heard the door slide open and people began to walk in. I peered over the top of my book to look at them because they didn't really seem to notice me at first. And since they didn't I went back to reading my book._

_But, then I heard them stop talking and I felt like all of their eyes were suddenly on me. "Who're you?" One of them asked, it was your father, James. I looked up from my book to see four boys staring at me. James stood closest to the door and next to him was Sirius. Next to him was Remus and next to him was a trembling boy by the name of Peter Pettigrew. _

_I didn't answer your father at first, because I wasn't really sure if they would have wanted me to leave or not. Then, Remus stepped up. "You'll have to excuse him; he had no manners at all. Are you just starting Hogwarts?" He asked, kindly. I just nodded my head shyly. "I'm Remus Lupin. That's James Potter, this is Sirius Black, and this one here's Peter Pettigrew. What's your name?"_

_"Nikolett." I said, finally speaking up. They each said their 'hellos' except for Sirius who had not said a word whatsoever since they had noticed me sitting in their compartment. I felt uncomfortable and I quickly stood up. "You probably don't want a girl in here, so I'll just go sit out in the hall, since all other compartments seem to be full." I was ready to leave the compartment when I noticed that the four boys had gone into a huddle. I heard a loud slap, realizing that someone (meaning James) had hit Sirius over the head for staring. He later told me that he couldn't stop staring at my eyes, because they were so different, but I think that was just a line._

_They finally came out of the huddle and Sirius had been pushed to the front of them, so he would actually say something. "You can stay." Was all he said. I asked if it was a joke and they reassured me that it wasn't. I went back to my spot in the compartment and began to read again._

_As we were getting ever closer to Hogwarts, they had the conversation of what house they thought they were going to be in, and they all had different ideas for each other, though they were just joking around. "I think Sirius will be in Slitherin." James spoke up. "Especially since he played that joke on that muggle woman in the train station."_

_"She deserved it! Who in their right mind would wear a hat like that?" Sirius spoke up, describing the awful-looking, olive green hat with what looked to be a very old feather sticking out of the top. The four boys laughed and they actually got a small giggle out of me. Now it was Sirius' turn to make a guess. He put Remus in Ravenclaw, because he was looking very sickly that day and he looked like he belonged to what he called them "a bunch of ugly lollygaggers" ._

_Remus put Peter in Hufflepuff, because they would at least teach him to get a little more spine. Peter took slight offense at this, but then he put James in Gryffindor because he said it would fit his ego. There was this huge roar of laughter as the other two agreed. _

_They didn't try to place me, which I was very happy about, because I didn't really care which house I went into, just as long as I got into one._

_As I got to know them more and more, I began to think that my first year at Hogwarts wouldn't be so bad._


	3. The Flirt

**_All right, there's something that I have added so this makes more sense. When you come across this symbol: (*~*~*~*~*) it means that a memory/story is beginning or ending._**

**_Wolflver2003_**

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**THE FLIRT**

"I didn't meet your mother until our fourth year, when I was in the Gryffindor common room, working on a vampire essay for our Defense Against the Dark Arts class."

"I bet that was easy for you."

"Yes it was, especially since my father had told me stories about famous vampires to put me to sleep." She giggled slightly. "It was the best grade I had ever gotten on a paper. I think it was mostly because it was three scrolls longer than asked." Harry gave a slightly chuckle, then looked down at the picture of Sirius.

"You said before that you think Sirius was giving you a line. What did you mean by that?" She turned a dark pink color, which meant that she was blushing lightly since she was already so pale.

"Well, Sirius was just a big flirt in school, I'll admit, and even though we had become the best of friends, he flirted with me, though I think it was so I would help him with his homework." She joked.

*~*~*~*

_Like I said, before, I had been in the common room working on the essay, when Sirius walks in and sees me working on it. He walks up to me and leans down next to me as if he was going to copy my work. He says to me: "I bet that'll be easy for you," so I slapped him, sending him to the floor. I didn't hit him hard, but it definitely left a mark. So, Lily walks in through the portrait hole to see Sirius lying on the floor._

_"D'you get rejected again, Black?" She asked, laughing. He just gave her a sneer and got back to his feet._

_"Very funny, Niki." He said, rubbing his face where I'd hit him._

_"Well, you deserved it, you know." I said and gathered my things and heading up to the girl's dormitory, your mother not far behind._

*~*~*~*~*

"Did you like Sirius?" Harry asked.

"Of course I did, but I wasn't going to let him know that. I mean, he was one of my best friends. Plus, I didn't know what to say to him even if I wanted to tell him." Harry became red in the face.

"I know how that feels." Harry had had a crush on a Ravenclaw girl who was in the year above his and now she was out of Hogwarts, but he still felt butterflies in his stomach whenever he thought about her. "Did you ever tell him?"

"Sort of." She said.


	4. The Bet

**THE BET**

_In our fourth year, Dumbledore decided to throw a ball in honor of him being made the permanent Headmaster of Hogwarts, since he was acting in Professor Dippet's absence. _

_It seemed like everyone had already agreed to go with someone, leaving only the few who were left. James had already asked Lily, Remus had agreed to go with a fourth year, and Peter had asked a second year. So, that only left me and Sirius. I hadn't really planned on going in the first place, since it was over the Christmas holiday and I usually spent it with my father, and Sirius was narrowing down his choices, since so many girls were interested in him taking them._

_The six of us were sitting in the library, before term ended and James had brought up the subject of the ball. "I don't think Sirius should even go to the ball." I said, looking up from the letter that I was sending to my father._

_"Why not?" Sirius asked, looking very hurt._

_"Because, knowing you, you'd play some stupid joke and ruin the whole thing for everyone." He looked aghast at the thought._

_"What makes you think that?"_

_"Because, I know you and you can't last one hour without playing a prank on someone."_

_"That's not true." _

_"Oh, please, you're doing it right now!" I pointed out as I saw him stick a dungbomb into Remus' pack._

_Hey!" Remus said, pulling the dungbomb out of his pack and throwing it out the window, which James had quickly opened for him. Sirius laughed until he noticed that I was giving him a knowing look._

_"Okay, so what's your point? So what if I play a few jokes on people?"_

_"A few? Come on, that's all you think about! If you paid half as much time on your schoolwork than you do on playing jokes on people, you'd be getting straight A's." I said, truthfully. _

_"So what are you saying?"_

_"I bet that you cannot play a trick on anyone during the ball." He looked at me in awe. "Yes, the ball. I want you to suffer, during this bet." _

_"Okay, so what are we betting?" He asked, more interestedly. I thought for a moment about how much more I could torture him, but then I figured that not pulling any pranks at the ball would make him suffer enough. So, I decided on some money._

_"I'll pay you ten Galleons if you cannot play a single joke on anyone on the night of the ball." I held out my hand for him to shake as to seal the deal. He stared at it for a moment._

_"All right. Ten Galleons." He said, shaking my hand._

_"It's a bet, then." I said._

_"But, how are you going to keep an eye on him at the ball?" Lily asked with a slight smile. She had a point. I hadn't thought about that._

_"Why doesn't Sirius take you to the ball, Nikolett?" James asked. I stared at him in awe for a second, but then I figured that it was a good idea. It would be the only way that I _could _keep an eye on him. I looked at Sirius with an evil smile and he knew that he couldn't try to change my mind. He looked as though he was reluctant as he agreed, but there was a twinkle in his eye that you just couldn't miss._

_"All right. We'll go to the ball together." He said. I smiled as I went back to my letter to my father, to whom I now had to explain that I wasn't coming home for the holidays._


	5. The First Date

**THE FIRST DATE**

_The night of the ball came around and I have to admit that I was slightly nervous and your mother could tell. She knew that I was… smitten with Sirius and she now figured that I was so nervous about the night ahead of us._

"I honestly don't understand what you see in that Sirius Black, Nikolett. He's arrogant and seedy and…" She stopped when she saw me smiling. "And he flirts with every girl in Gryffindor Tower." She was trying to throw me off, because she knew I had feelings for him, but it wouldn't work. My mind was already made up.

"I know he does, but that's just because he wants attention… No, there's something about him that I don't even think he knows about."

"And only you can see it? I don't think that's a good think, Niki." That made the both of us giggle. "But, I guess you can't help your feelings, can you?" 

I shook my head. "Didn't you feel the same way when you first saw James?" She let out a loud scoff.

"No! When I first met James, I thought he was arrogant and seedy and…" She trailed off when she realized that it was the same way that she had described Sirius; something I knew she would do. "All right, I guess I get your point."

***~An Hour Later~***

_The time that we had to meet our dates came quicker than I had imagined and I was beginning to get even more nervous as I thought this would be the worst night of my life. _

So I wouldn't be too embarrassed when I walked into view, Lily had walked into the common room first and told them that I was finishing getting ready. She told me that James was speechless about the way she looked, which was definitely a first. James was the talkative one of the group. The three of them waited for me as I carefully walked down the dormitory staircase. 

I saw Sirius' eyes go wide when he first saw me, which made me smile. My hair wasn't as long as it is now, but it was still very long, so I had it wrapped in a tight bun and the rest of my hair came through the middle of the bun and hung down to just below my shoulders. "You look wonderful." He said, breathlessly.

"Thanks. So do you." I said, meekly. I wasn't used to people staring at me and Sirius wasn't the only one. I noticed a few sixth-years staring at me as they went to go get their dates. I blushed slightly from getting so much attention.

"Well, shall we go?" James asked, leading Lily toward the portrait hole. Sirius held out his arm to me and I linked mine into his. We headed out of the portrait hole and made our way to the Great Hall.

***~In The Great Hall~***

_I hadn't realized how many people there were at Hogwarts until I walked into the Great Hall to see how many had actually stayed over the Christmas holiday. There were students lined up against every wall, with only a few dancing in the center of the room. _

I saw Lily drag James out onto the dance floor, where he reluctantly followed her. Sirius and I chuckled loudly as we saw his face turn four shades of red. "Man, I really wish I had a dungbomb…" I heard Sirius mutter.

"Well, if you did, you'd have to pay me ten Galleons." I said. 

"Oh, you heard that, did you?" I nodded with a smile on my face.

"Of course, if you want to get this over with, you can just pay me now." I held out a flat hand and waited for him to slip the Galleons into my hand, but he never did. Instead, he slipped his own hand into mine.

"How about a dance?" He asked, leading me toward the dance floor. I laughed as he changed the subject.

We didn't say another word about our bet, until hours after we had first arrived. We figured that it was time to get some air, for it was beginning to get quite stuffy inside the hall. So, we walked out to the courtyard where there were more couples in less than flattering situations. But, we just ignored them and sat on the steps.

"You surprise me, Sirius Black." I said. He looked at me in surprise.

"What do you mean?"

"I honestly didn't think you'd be able to control yourself when there were so many people in the Great Hall."

"Want to know a secret?" He asked. I just nodded as an answer. "Neither did I and it honestly doesn't bother me. I feel like I could be a new man; one who doesn't play tricks on his fellow students, but helps them…" He paused as if he was thinking. This was making me laugh, because I knew he would never be able to do it. "…Nah!" He said as he finished. "But, I have to admit that I am having a good time."

"Me too." I said, looking up at the sky and admiring the stars.

***~Hours Later~***

_The night quickly drew to an end. Sirius and I walked back to the dormitory before any of the other students started to file out of the hall. We weren't the only ones in the dormitory, though. There were others who hadn't even bothered to go to the party and there were those who had come up early from the party because they found it to be a bore. At least, that's what I was told._

Sirius was kind enough to walk me to the girls dormitory staircase which is where we said goodnight. "Well, you did it. You managed not to play a prank on anyone tonight."

"Yeah, I know. Can you believe it?" He asked. I just laughed slightly as he took a hold of my hands and placed a light kiss on each of them.

"I'll pay you tomorrow at breakfast." I said, blushing slightly, but I don't think he noticed. He nodded, though it seemed as though he wasn't really interested in the money.

"How about I make you a deal?" I gave him an inquisitorial look. "You don't have to pay me the money if… you promised not to slap me." I gave him a curious look.

"For what?" I was laughing slightly because I didn't have any clue of what he was thinking.

"For this." He then pulled me to him and kissed me.


	6. The Crush

**_Thanks to MPPSexxySiriusJamesRemus for your reviews. I'm very glad that you like it and please don't be afraid to recommend this to others._**

**THE CRUSH**

"He kissed you?" Harry asked. Professor Bronte turned pink again. She just nodded as an answer. Harry paused before asking another question. He had a feeling that she wasn't telling the truth. "I have a question and I ask that you don't take this the wrong way, but if Sirius cared so much about you, then why didn't he talk about you?" She gave a slight smirk.

"Well, he wouldn't, would he? I mean, he had so much to worry about, hadn't he? With Azkaban and everything? Besides, I think he may have thought that I was angry with him after he was taken away."

"Were you?"

"No. I cared more than anything for him and also for your parents. And since he was James's best friend, I knew that he had to go…" She trailed off and she drooped her head, slightly. Harry noticed this and decided to change the subject.

"Uh… You know, Professor Snape has been trying to get this job for years and I've seen the way he looks at you. It seems he loathes you more than Lupin or Moody."

"He doesn't loathe me, Harry, it doesn't matter how much he wants my job. You have to remember that he was at school with us."

"So, you were part of the whole teasing thing?" She quickly shook her head.

"Heavens, no, I was against it all the way. I've had my share of teasing being what I am and Professor Snape, no matter how strange he was, didn't deserve it."

"So, then, why does he loathe you?"

"Well, like I said, he doesn't loathe me. He was… let's say smitten with me while at school."

"Smitten? You mean he was… he was in love with you?"

"Love is such a strong word, Harry. I would call it… a crush."

"What did Sirius say?"

"Well, it didn't really bother him, because he didn't take Professor Snape seriously. But one day he got slightly out of hand."

*~*~*~*~*

_It was a beautiful spring day and I decided that I wanted to work on my History of Magic essay, outside under one of the big oak trees. I had quickly finished it, since it was so dull and decided to write a letter to my father._

As I remember, the letter was very boring, but he liked to know everything that was going on at school. I remember gnawing on the tip of my quill, when a shadow stood over me. I looked up to see Professor Snape standing there, clutching his books and a few rolls of parchment.

"Hello, Nikolett." He said.

"Hello, Severus." I said, going back to the letter.

"I was wondering if you needed any help on your essay for History of Magic. I've already finished mine and I am willing to give you some help." I felt pity for him, so I decided to let him down gently.

"That's very kind, Severus, but I've already finished."

"Oh… well, then do you need help in any other subject? Transfiguration? Potions? Herbology?"

"No. I'm fine." This wasn't the first time this had happened and it was beginning to annoy me. "Actually, I think it's time that I went inside." I packed up my things and began to head back into the building, but he followed me, asking if I was sure I didn't need any help with anything. "Yes, Severus! I'm sure." I said, heading up the marble staircase just as Sirius was walking down it, coming to find me to tell me about the prank he had just pulled on some poor little first-year.

We were in our fifth year and were now seeing each other exclusively, but Severus still wouldn't lay off. I suppose he thought if he tried hard enough I would finally give in; that has yet to happen.

"What's going on?" Sirius asked as I rushed up the stairs toward him. I saw his fist clenching and I knew that he had his wand ready. This was the first time that I had seen him act jealous toward me and I didn't even think he could ever become this jealous; I was afraid of what he would do.

"Nothing." I said, grabbing him by his other arm, trying to prevent the fight that would have happened between them.

"Stay away from her, Snivellus, or I'll come after you!" I pulled him away before he could say anything more.

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**_I know this chapter is short and I am sorry about that. I wanted there to be more of a confrontation between the two boys, but I figured that I would just let it get too out of hand. Please tell me what you think about it so far!!!_**


	7. Finding Out

**_Thank you to all of you who have read this so far. I am extremely happy that you all like it and like I said before: don't be afraid to recommend me to others._**

**_Thanks again._**

**_Wolflver2003_**

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**FINDING OUT**

"Did Sirius ever get the chance to get him back?"

"Not for that, no. I stopped him from doing it."

"Why?"

"Because I didn't want him to get into any trouble. I'm pretty sure that if he had done something else wrong that year that he would have gotten expelled and I didn't want that to happen." Harry's brain was still racked with question and he wouldn't leave until he got them all answered.

"So, you started dating Sirius in school… were you still together after?" Her face fell slightly. She hadn't expected that question.

"Yes. Actually, we were to be married."

"Married?" Harry was surprised at this. "What happened?"

"Voldemort." She said, plainly. This surprised Harry even more when he heard her say the Dark Lord's name. He'd never heard anyone say it as if they didn't care about it. He let her continue, though. "Sirius knew that Lily and James were in trouble and he needed to help… I begged him not to go; I suppose I was just being selfish. He told me that he had to help them and that I should stay put; he was just trying to protect me. I reluctantly agreed and gave him the engagement ring he had given me for luck… some luck it was… Your parents were dead and Sirius was going to Azkaban, because he was being blamed for it."

"Did you believe that he did it?"

"Not for a moment. I know that he would play cruel jokes on people, but that's all that they were: jokes. He could never kill anyone… I tried to tell the Ministry of Magic, but they wouldn't listen to me."

"Did you have proof that he didn't do it?" She shook her head.

"No. But, even if I did, they still wouldn't have listened to me because of what I am. Even if I am half-witch, they could only see that I was part-vampire and they didn't care about what I had to say." Harry noticed that she was almost on the verge of tears; it would be the first time that he had ever seen one of his teachers cry. But, she pushed the tears back so she could continue.

"What did you do after Sirius was taken away?"

"I… I defended him from a far. I left England and went to live with my father for a while. I hadn't realized how long I'd been there until I got the owl from Dumbledore, asking me whether I would come to teach or not."

"What made you decide to come?"

"I suppose I needed to get out of the rut I was in. When I heard that Sirius was dead, I didn't know what to do."

"You really loved him, didn't you?" She nodded.

"I did. He was one of the first people I met who didn't judge me for what I was and I loved him for that; I still do. I just wish I knew what had happened at the Ministry the day that he died." Harry looked bewildered.

"You mean, you don't know?" She shook her head.

"No. Since my father is a vampire, he didn't have too much of a connection with the Ministry of Magic."

"And Dumbledore never told you?"

"No." She said, quietly. He stared at her in amazement. Of all the people not to know what happened to Sirius, Harry at least expected her to know. Of course, he wasn't totally positive that she was telling the truth, but it seemed true for the moment.

As he told her the story, her eyes got wider with every word. "He was very brave." He said, finishing the story.

"I'll bet he was. He always had so much courage." Harry began to feel as though it was his doing that was making her so sad and he began to apologize.

"It's all my fault that he went to the Ministry that day. You have no one to blame but me!" Her eyes went wide in shock.

"Harry, it's not your fault! He went to protect you. Sirius loved you from the day you were born. He would always say that he would teach you all he knew about being a prankster. Of course, Lily wasn't too pleased about that… I don't know what makes you think this is your fault, but I ask you that you don't."

"But, I was in trouble and he came to rescue me."

"That's because you are the only one who could save the wizarding world from Voldemort's wrath. He didn't want you to get killed, because if that happened, no one would be safe."

"I just wish I knew how I was supposed to defeat Voldemort. I'm just a kid and he's a fully grown wizard… I'm done for."

"Don't say those kinds of things. If you believe that, then it will most certainly happen. I want you to remember Harry that you are only as small as you feel."


	8. The Black Hawk

**_I don't usually respond to my reviews, except for thanks, I know. But, to this one reviewer, I have to make something clear (though I will not say his/her name to be polite)._**

**_If you remember from my disclaimer I state: "My interpretation of the characters is my own and may NOT co-inside with the series..." And as true as your points were, I must remind you that I already stated that this might not go along with the series, and I I feel that I must remind you that (and I say this as polite as possible) it is JUST a story._**

**_I have a question for you, though.  You said that I spelled Slitherin wrong, but when I just checked it, it was spelled right.  I only put it once in this story, so I don't know what you were reading, but it is spelled right._**

**_Thank you for reading this and liking it, though. And I would like for you to continue reading this, but I just though I'd bring that up._**

**_Thanks to all of those who've read and reviewed it so far and I hope you enjoy what's going to happen next._**

**_****_**

**_This part of the story begins to explain what I think happened to Sirius after he fell through the black curtain at the Ministry of Magic (Because, that's NO way to die!). I thought it was a creative idea, so tell me if you like it or not._**

**_Wolflver2003_**

**--------------------------------**

**THE BLACK HAWK**

Harry nodded at her. He knew that she was right. He was beginning to feel uncomfortable and looked around the room at all of her magical items. This was the first time, however, that he had noticed that there was, what looked to be, a big cage that was covered in a black sheet. "What's this, Professor?" She got up and walked over to the birdcage. She pulled the sheet off of it to reveal a large, black hawk that was sleeping soundly with its back turned toward them. "Wow!" Harry said, breathlessly.

"I found him with a broken wing a couple of months ago, so I decided to nurse him back to health, with Hagrid's help, of course. But, now it doesn't seem like he wants to leave. I think he's become accustomed to the way I've been taking care of him." She chuckled slightly. 

"He's amazing!"

"Yes, I know. He's bigger than he should be, though. It looks like some wizard got a hold of him and tried to use and Engorgement Charm on him that didn't work too well. Of course, he could just be big for his kind; that's been known to happen." The hawk ruffled his feathers as he noticed that the sheet had been removed from the cage. He opened his eyes and turned toward them. It let out a small screech and ruffled its feathers again.

"Are you going to keep him?"

"I don't think I really have a choice. He really likes me." She unlatched the door to the cage and the hawk jumped from his perch to the open cage door. He waited for a moment as if he wasn't sure he was allowed to exit the cage. "I let him out to hunt every day, but he always comes back. I've never known a hawk to do that." She held out a bare arm for the bird to climb onto, which it quickly did. It seemed to make sure that it didn't dig its talons into her bare skin, then it ruffled its feathers again and flapped its wings to stretch. 

"Wow!" Harry said again which made Professor Bronte laugh slightly.

"I have an idea, I'm not sure if I would be able to take care of him after classes end, so, would you want to take him?" Harry's eyes went wide.

"I would love to! But, I already have Hedwig and she already gets jealous enough as it is." She lowered her head in disappointment. The hawk flapped his wings again and took off, gliding over to her desk, landing on the letter she had been working on before Harry had came to visit. There, he started to preen himself; that made the both of them laugh.

"That's all right, Harry. I'm sure I can convince him that he can go free some how."

"Why can't you take care of him?"

"Because, I am staying in my father's home and bird's aren't very welcome there. The bats tend to eat them whenever they get a hold of them." Harry stared as the hawk tidied his feathers. It didn't look as though it would be eaten by a bat, but he wasn't sure how big bats were where she lived. He kept staring it, finally noticing that it was struggling with something. 

"Is he okay?" He asked. Professor Bronte knelt down to look at the bird to see that it was trying to pull something out of its wing. The hawk kept pulling at what looked to be a feather, but with one swift tug pulled something out of its wing. It dropped it onto the letter. She and Harry looked closely at what the hawk had dropped onto her desk. Professor Bronte carefully picked the small item up as the hawk took off toward the cage. She quickly rubbed the dirt and grim off of whatever it was on her robes to see that it was a ring. Her eyes went wide in shock and she collapsed onto her chair, dropping the ring back onto her desk.

"Oh, my God!" She said, breathlessly while Harry looked at it with confusion.

"How…" He trailed off, trying to figure out how the hawk could have pulled a ring out of its wing. He then looked at Professor Bronte would looked as though she was ready to cry again. "Are you all right?" 

She picked up the ring again and twirled it in her fingers. It was a golden ring with a small, but elegant-looking emerald that stood in the middle and three small diamonds sat on each side of the band. Harry was about to ask her again if she was all right, but she began to speak before he could ask. "How in the world?"


	9. Her Family

**HER FAMILY**

"Professor?" Harry asked, quietly. But, she didn't answer, she was now staring at the black hawk before her, which was, surprisingly, staring back at her. Harry was beginning to become uncomfortable with the image before him. "Um, Professor?" He asked again. She finally looked up at him.

"I'm sorry, Harry. What was I saying?" She asked, as if unsure what had been going on.

"Um, the ring…" He trailed off slightly, not sure what question to ask.

"Oh! Yes, the ring…" She paused for a moment. "This is the strangest thing—but, this just can't be a coincidence—but, I'm sure that it is…" She trailed off. A smile crept to Harry's lips. For a moment, she reminded him of Hermione when she couldn't solve a problem in her Arithmancy class.

"What is it?" He asked, taking a seat on the other side of her desk.

"You won't believe this, but this is the ring that Sirius gave me for our engagement."

"The one that you gave him before he went to go after my parents?" He asked. She just nodded. "How can that be?" 

She shrugged. "I can't explain it, Harry. I really can't. As far as I know, he still had it when he was taken away to Azkaban, but it's possible that this hawk found it on the ground while flying somewhere around that area. But, I'm positive that Sirius wouldn't let this go if his life depended on it. It's very…"

"Weird." Harry blurted out.

"Yes… and then some." 

A thought crossed Harry's mind. "Are you sure that it's the ring he gave you?" She let a small smile creep to her lips.

"I'm positive."

"How?"

"Because, it belonged to my mother. It was actually the ring that my father gave to her when they got married. She liked Sirius so much that she wanted him to use her ring."

"Your mother liked Sirius?"

"My mother _loved_ Sirius! She treated him like he was one of the family. I mean, since he had left his family when he was sixteen and went to live with James, they got really close sometimes. I never met his parents, which he said was a good thing and I finally found out what he meant when I saw the house that he used to live in."

"You're part of the Order?" He asked, quietly. 

"Proudly. My mother was part when she was still alive."

"What happened to her?"

"She was killed by a Death Eater, which is another reason why I decided to join Dumbledore's side. Unlike my father, who just wants nothing to do with it whatsoever. He calls it a load of rubbish at times. I've been trying to convince him that it's not because Voldemort may come after the vampires next, but he doesn't believe me."

"What'll he do if it happens, though?"

"I'll make him eat his words and then make him fight alongside the same witches and wizard who've tried to kill _him_ hundreds of times."

"They've tried to kill him?" She nodded as she unconsciously pet the hawk on the head.

"Of course. He's one of the most well-known vampires because he is so powerful and they just think that he's a murderer, which he isn't. He's never killed for amusement; only if his life was in…" She trailed off suddenly as she felt a low rumble. For a moment, she thought it to be thunder, but no thunder she had ever witnessed made the whole ground shake.


	10. Trouble in the Wizarding World

**TROUBLE IN THE WIZARDING WORLD**

"Did you feel that?" Harry asked. She nodded without saying a word. She quickly grabbed for her wand and stood up. The hawk jumped from her desk to her shoulder where it silently rested. "What was it?" He managed to ask before she shushed him.

"Stay close behind me, Harry." She said as the ground rumbled again. He did as he was told and they slowly walked out of her office. Harry's ears filled with murmurs of the students and staff, which made him let out a long sigh; they weren't the only ones who felt it. He was beginning to think that he was going crazy.

"Get back into your dormitories!" He heard Professor McGonagall yell to the students who had left the dormitories to examine what was going on. Harry saw her standing on the marble staircase, her tartan dressing gown looking as if she had put it on in a hurry. He saw her slowly turn to see a worried look on her face.

"Minerva!" Professor Bronte called to her. Professor McGonagall looked at the younger woman with pure terror, never noticing that Harry was close behind her and the hawk now gliding overhead. "Minerva, what's going on?" Another rumble shook the school, this time knocking them off balance, but they did not fall.

Professor McGonagall got her balance back before answering. "I'm not sure, but it can't be anything good." She finally noticed Harry standing behind Professor Bronte. "Potter, what are you doing out of bed? Get up to your dormitory!" She then began to walk down to the entrance hall, followed by Professor Bronte and Harry.

"It's my fault Minerva." Professor Bronte said.

"You?"

"Yes. Me. You have no one to blame but me. Harry was helping me with something."

"Helping you? At three o'clock in the morning?" The younger woman paused for a moment before answering, but there was no need. "Nikolett, I am surprised at you. You know better than that!"

"Yes I know, I guess time just flew by." That wasn't a lie. Neither she nor Harry had noticed the time flying by as she informed him about what his godfather was like when he was at school.

"Very well, Potter, up to your dormitory!"

"Actually, Minerva, I think he should stay here for the time being." That came from Dumbledore who was heading down the marble staircase toward them, but another rumble shook the school and he was thrown about a bit before he reached them.

"Professor, do you think it's wise to keep the students inside the dormitories?" Professor Bronte asked.

"As a matter of fact I do, Nikolett. They shall be safe in there. Hogwarts is strong and a few minor shakes will not bring her down."

"Yes, but these are no minor shakes, Professor. There are no earthquakes around Hogwarts. There never have been." He looked at her with a grave face. "These aren't earthquakes, are they?"

"No. I suggest that you all follow me." He headed into the Great Hall where Professor Snape was waiting for him. Harry saw a sneer come to the Potion's Master's face as he laid eyes on the boy.

"Headmaster, this isn't safe for the boy."

"He must come, Severus." Dumbledore said, without looking at Snape whatsoever. Dumbledore walked to the back of the Great Hall, took a right when he approached the table where the teachers sat, and entered the little room in the corner. "We must all hurry, now." He said, making sure that they were all still with him. Harry's eyes went wide when he saw the rest of the DA standing inside the little room.

"Ron, Hermione, what—" 

"There is no time for that, Harry." Dumbledore said, looking at each person in turn. "There is trouble in the wizarding world. Voldemort's army is at full strength and they have begun terrorizing those in wizarding communities. _That_ is what we are feeling. They are in Hogsmeade at this moment, where the other members of the Order are, but they are in need of help, themselves. That is why I called all of you here, so late."

"You mean, we're going to fight Voldemort's army?" Neville squeaked, his eyes wide with shock.

"You all are more than ready. I have never been more proud of a group a students… Now, we must hurry to the Three Broomsticks, which is our safe-house for the moment. There is enough Floo Powder for all of us to go in groups of two. Dean, Seamus, you two are up first." He said, pointing his wand at the fireplace, creating a welcoming fire to travel by.

Two-by-two, the large group of witches and wizards traveled to the Order's safe-house. Harry was made to travel with Professor Snape, which both detested, but agreed for Dumbledore's sake. Professor Bronte was about to step into the fire, but Dumbledore stopped her. "Nikolett, I know that this is hard for you…" He began, but she interrupted him.

"Whatever I have to do to stop Voldemort from hurting some other child, I will do it. He ordered my mother killed and I will make sure that he regrets it." 

"This has nothing to do with revenge."

"No, it doesn't. But it will." He saw an evil glint in her eyes as she took a hand-full of Floo Powder and threw it into the fire. "The Three Broomsticks!" She said, loud and very clear. Soon she was gone in a swish of green flames.


	11. The Beginning of the End

**THE BEGINNING OF THE END**

As soon as Harry appeared in Hogsmeade, he felt as though he was somewhere else. It didn't look like Hogsmeade anymore. Buildings were on fire, people lay dead on the streets or were running for their lives, and a dark cloud seemed to hover over the once-peaceful village.

For a moment, he just wanted to stand by in awe, but he knew he had to help. He tried to move from the spot where he stood, but his legs didn't want to move. Only when Professor Bronte emerged from the fireplace did he finally move. "Let's go, Harry!" She called to him, not even stopping. With that, Harry broke into a run toward where the villagers' homes got. The Death Eaters were attacking the poor young children who looked as though they weren't even able to hold a wand.

"_Expelliarmus!_" He called out, pointing his wand at the first Death Eater to cross his path, making his wand fly out of his hand and the young child he was making float was falling to the ground. Harry stopped her from falling with a levitation charm and slowly guided her back to the ground. She stared at him, tears streaming down her face and fear clear in her eyes. "Quick, get out of here!" He told the little girl who quickly scrambled to find her mother. "_Stupefy!_" He called out again, his wand, pointed at the same Death Eater. The hooded figure stood stunned in place (he was reaching for his want) and Harry approached him, pulling off his mask.

"Lucius Malfoy?" A voice asked from behind Harry. He quickly turned to see Mr. Weasley limping over with a cut on his right cheek.

"I tried to tell you." Harry said.

"Never mind that, Harry. Keep going. There are dozens more up a head." Harry noticed Mr. Weasley nursing, what looked to be, a broken arm.

"Are you-" But, Mr. Weasley cut him off.

"Don't worry about me. Go on!" With that, Mr. Weasley rushed into The Three Broomsticks as fast as he could with a gimp leg. Harry assumed he was going for medical attention and went after the big group of Death Eaters the members of the Order and D.A. who were struggling to get direct hits without hitting those who were being terrorized. 

"All right, Harry?" Lupin asked, putting a stunning spell on the Death Eater nearest him.

"Yeah." Harry looked around at the swarm of people, trying to find Professor Bronte. "Where's Professor Bronte?"

"Why?"

"She was in such a hurry…" He trailed off as a sudden explosion behind them sent them flying, headfirst into a small home. They crashed through the huge windows and found themselves lying on their backs. "Ow!" Was all Harry said. Lupin quickly got up and helped Harry to his feet.

"Don't worry about Nikolett, Harry. She can take care of herself." Harry wasn't sure if that was true. When Professor Bronte had passed him, she had a very angry glint in her eyes; something that Harry had never seen on her before. "Let's get back to it, shall we?" Harry nodded, unsurely and they exited the hut by going out through the window they had entered.

Spells and curses were flying every which way, which made Harry crouched down low so he could get past. Harry had passed every member of the Order and D.A. when he realized that two were missing. Professor Bronte had vanished and, now, so had Snape. 

He noticed the hawk circling a building that had not yet been touched by Death Eaters. It was as if, Harry though, the hawk was signaling where to go. Taking the hint, Harry slowly approached the building, clutching his wand, until he heard someone yell out, "_Expelliarmus!_" and he went flying through another window and went crashing to the floor. 

"Harry!" He heard Professor Bronte exclaim as he lay still on the ground. He opened his eyes to see her standing over him. 

"Wha-" He asked, slightly disoriented. 

"Sit up, boy!" He heard a familiar voice say. His scar let out a rush of pain as he began aware of who was around him. He quickly sat up to see Voldemort, surrounded by more Death Eaters and his wand pointed straight at Harry's heart. "Your end has come, Potter!" Voldemort hissed.


	12. The Final Battle

**THE FINAL BATTLE**

Harry quickly stood up, not wanting to take his eyes off of Voldemort's wand, but he was curious, so he turned to Professor Bronte. "You're a Death Eater? You're the faithful servant he was talking about!"

"Don't be stupid, Harry! I'm as much of a Death Eater as you are."

"Then, why-"

"Am I here?" She finished for him. He just nodded. "Because he killed my mother!" She said, pointing to Voldemort.

"Yes, and not I get to kill you. Oh, the irony!" Voldemort hissed. He raised his want about to do the one curse that Harry had survived twice already, but wouldn't be able to survive this time. He had lost his wand when he came crashing though the window. The words had almost escaped Voldemort's lips (or what would be considered as lips) when the black hawk came soaring into the broken window. The bird attacked the Dark Lord's wand, but it was to no avail. Voldemort was able to throw the bird off of him. "_Crucio!_" He yelled, pointing his wand at the bird. The spell hit the bird with such force, that the bird fell to the ground, screeching in pain.

"Stop it! It's just a poor, helpless bird!" Professor Bronte said, not looking at the bird which was writhing on the floor. She heard the screeching stop and she turned to see the bird laying motionless on the floor.

"Heh, that was more fun than I thought it would be." He waved his want between Harry and Professor Bronte, slowly. "Now, which one should I deal with first?" He asked no one in particular. He stopped his wand on Harry and grinned. "I want to enjoy killing you." With a wave of his wand, glowing ropes show out of his wand and bound Harry's arms and legs together, which made him fall over. He pointed his wand at Professor Bronte. "Let's see… shall I torture you and then kill you _or_ kill you and then kill him?" He asked her, though not expecting her to answer.

"My Lord…" A voice Harry recognized right away spoke up. "May I deal with the girl?" Snape's voice had a tinge of anger that was easy to detect and he stepped out of the shadows. He gave Harry a sneer as he laid his eyes on him and waited for his master's answer.

"Severus, my servant, it shall be done.": Snape began to approach his colleague, but his master grabbed his arm. "If she lives, you die." He hissed. Snape did nothing to show his fear. He just nodded his head and approached the young woman. She did nothing to show that they were even about to battle. The only movement she made was to squint he eyes at her opponent.

"Are ready to pay for all your fiancée did to me, half-breed?" He asked.

"Only if you're ready to pay for betraying Dumbledore!" She said. Harry saw her eyes glow red for only a second and knew that nothing good could come from that. She had noticed too, but still he showed no fear.

"_Stupefy!_" Snape cried out. She didn't retaliate a spell. With a few quick moves, she pulled a mirror from under her robes to block the spell. But, she didn't send it back to Snape. The spell bounced off of the mirror and straight at one of the Death Eaters behind Voldemort. "_Stupefy! Stupefy!_" Snape kept yelling and the spells ricocheted off of the mirror and hit the remaining Death Eaters until the very last one was stunned. Harry gave this behavior a puzzled look. Then, it occurred to him that Snape was saving his life.

"Enough!" Voldemort cried out, ceasing the spells. He looked angrier than Harry had ever seen him. He saw the Dark Lord stand up from where he was sitting and approached Snape. "You disappoint me, Severus. You were my most loyal and you betrayed me to that old fool, Dumbledore. I will surely miss you." With anger flowing through Voldemort, he didn't kill Snape. Since his brain was too clouded with anger, he disarmed him and sent him flying into the streets of Hogsmeade. Voldemort then turned to Professor Bronte who was now trying to untie Harry, but the ropes would not come undone. "You stupid girl! You dare make a fool of Lord Voldemort? I should have killed you when I killed your mother!" He growled. She didn't say anything as Harry tried to look at her in surprise. This was the first time he had heard about that.

"You didn't kill me then, so why would you now?" She growled back. Harry was beginning to get confused, even more than he already was,but the more Voldemort's focus was off of him, the more time he had to escape.

"_Accio Wand!_" He muttered, hoping that he wasn't heard. When his wand reached his hand, he paused to see if anyone's attention had fallen on him. He saw that it wasn't, but Voldemort had used a spell that made Professor Bronte drop her wand and fall to the ground (not a disarming spell, though it sounds a lot like one).

She skittered to a corner where she nursed a deep gash on her arm. Harry saw Voldemort raise his wand, getting ready to perform the worst curse of all, but he stopped and stared at the woman before him. This surprised Harry, wondering why he would stop himself from killing someone. Then he heard it. Professor Bronte was muttering something under her breath in a language that, Harry concluded, had to be Romanian.

"What are you doing, you idiot girl?" Voldemort asked. She didn't answer. She kept muttering the same words, though neither Harry nor Voldemort could understand them, over and over again.

Harry turned himself over to look at her, with much trouble, but it was worth it. Her eyes were glowing red and he could just make out two sets of fangs in her mouth as she muttered (they wouldn't normally show as she spoke). "Your vampire magic will have no effect on me, half-breed! _Avada Kadavra!_" He shouted. The spell hit Professor Bronte, but it bounced off of her and back toward Voldemort, who ducked just in time.

"Wha-" Harry managed to get out before Professor Bronte summoned her wand and freed Harry from his binding. Voldemort growled loudly. Harry pointed his wand at the Dark Lord, as did Professor Bronte. Voldemort let out a little chuckle.

"You don't actually think that the two of you can stop me?"

"No." Harry said. "But they might." He nodded toward the broken window where the members of the Order and D.A. stood, numerous injuries among them, but straight-faced and wands pointed directly at Voldemort.

"It's over, Tom." Dumbledore spoke up, nursing a bloody lip and a black eye, himself.

"Never, you old fool! Nothing can stop me! I am all-powerful!"

"Not anymore!" Growled Moody.

As a whole, every member of both groups waved their wands and cried out: "_Petrificus Totalus!_" The combined spells created a super body-bind on Voldemort. The Dark Lord was finally defeated, which made the group give a loud cheer.

********

**_OKay, so I know that it's a cheesy way to bring an end to Voldemort, but magic works better with more than one witch or wizard and what a better way to defeat him? At least it seemed like a good idea when I wrote it._**


	13. The Secret of the Black Hawk

**THE SECRET OF THE BLACK HAWK**

"It's finally happened, Headmaster?" Madam Pomfrey asked Dumbledore as she healed the cut on his lip.

"Yes, Poppy, it has." Dumbledore said, the twinkle in his bruised eye finally returning. "He was taken away to Azkaban where the Kiss was performed on him immediately."

"I just can't believe it's finally happened."

"Yes, it is a wonderful day, indeed." Madam Pomfrey paused for a moment before asking her next question.

"Headmaster, about that hawk…" She began to say, looking over her shoulder at the hawk which was lying in its own hospital bed.

"Has Hagrid taken a look at him, yet?" She shook her head. "Well, when he finds out what's wrong with him, he can be moved. Do not worry, Poppy." He said, glancing over at Professor Bronte who was sitting up in her bed, talking to Lupin who had a very bad gash over his left eye and, what looked to be, a broken wrist.

"I'm sorry, Nikolett, Sirius never said anything the last time I talked to him."

"Oh." Was all she said. He knew she was let down by this, so he placed a caring hand over her own.

"But, he did love you. I know he did." That made her give a small smile as she looked over at Harry who as talking avidly to Ron and Hermione who had their fair share of injuries as well.

"Wow! I had no idea she was part vampire!" Ron said.

"Well, it was obvious, wasn't it?" Hermione asked. Harry and Ron looked at her with blank expressions.

"If you knew, why didn't you tell us?"

"I shouldn't have to tell you two everything, should I?"

"Yes!" Both boys exclaimed together.

"But, what about the thing with Sirius? Do you think it's true?" Harry asked.

"I don't know what to think about that, Harry." Hermione said. "I agree with you that Sirius would have at least told you about her, if it was true. But, what she said kind of makes sense that he was too preoccupied about other things." Harry and Ron stared at her for a second as though they were trying to figure out what she actually meant.

"She doesn't know, either, mate." Ron said, interpreting for Harry. He just nodded as he saw Hagrid enter the hospital wing, a bag of something thrown over his shoulder.

"All right, you three?" He asked. They nodded.

"What's up, Hagrid?" Ron asked.

"Professor Dumbledore wants me 'ter look a' Professor Bronte's bird."

"Is he going to be okay, Hagrid?" Hermione asked, feeling sorry for what the hawk had to go through.

"I don' know." Hagrid said, examining the hawk. "Wha' spell was used on 'im?"

"The Cruciatus Curse." Harry said, worriedly. "It couldn't have hurt him too bad, could it? I mean, wizards have survived it, haven't they?"

"Yeah, but he ain't exactly a wizard, is he?" Hagrid asked, pulling something out of his bag.

"Hagrid, how is he?" Professor Bronte asked the gash on her arm wrapped tightly in bandages.

"It doesn' look good, Professor." He said. "The spell works diff'rently on animals than humans."

"So, what does that mean?" Ron asked, trying to lean forward against his broken ribs, but fell back from the pain.

"'E could come out of it, 'e could not." 

Professor Bronte stroked the hawk's head, lightly. "I never wanted him to get involved in any of this."

"Well, you saved his live. Maybe he though he would return the favor?" Harry suggested.

Professor Bronte gave a little chuckle. "I highly doubt that, Harry." She said sorrowfully as a beautiful song filled her ears. "What's that?" She asked. Harry recognized the song immediately.

"Fawkes." He said as a large bird with fiery red plumage flew through the open door.

"Honestly! Birds everywhere! We'd might as well turn this into the Owlery!" Madam Pomfrey muttered as she saw Fawkes fly through the doorway and land himself on the hawk's bed. They noticed pearly tears fell immediately from the phoenix's eyes and onto the hawk's head. Harry looked at Professor Bronte who was looking at Dumbledore.

"Headmaster…" Professor Bronte began, but Dumbledore signaled for her to stop.

"There must be a reason." Was all he said and watched as Fawkes leapt from the bed and fluttered over to Dumbledore's shoulder where he rested. The hawk was now glowing with a bright, fiery light, not unlike Fawkes' plumage.

"What-" Harry asked as he saw the bird glow brighter. The light emitting from the hawk was so bright that they all had to turn their eyes so they would not be blinded.

When the light faded, a loud gasp rang throughout the hospital wing. Everyone, even those who were in the back of the wing, stared at the spot on the bed where the hawk had been laying. Only, the hawk wasn't there anymore. A man was laying there, his handsome face and his matted, black hair shining in the dawn's light that was shining through the window. He stirred, slightly.

"Oh my!" Hermione shrieked, slightly.

"It can't be." Mr. Weasley whispered from the other side of the room, but the room was so quiet that everyone heard what he had said.

"Sirius?" Harry asked as pure surprise spread on his face.


	14. Black Returns

**BLACK RETURNS**

The man stirred again in his bed which made a few people jump slightly. Madam Pomfrey, who had been in her office, came up to the bed and let out a loud scream. "Sirius Black!" She cried out.

"Calm down, Poppy." Professor McGonagall spoke up, limping over to the man's bed.

"But, it's Sirius Black! We have to do something!"

"Poppy, Sirius never committed the crimes he was imprisoned for. He will not harm you, so I ask that you tend to his wounds." Dumbledore said, placing a caring hand on Professor Bronte's shoulder. Madam Pomfrey, though hesitant, went straight to work on Sirius' injuries.

"Headmaster, how did this happen?" Professor Bronte asked.

"I'm not quite sure, but maybe he will tell us when his strength is regained." She nodded as she saw Sirius open his eyes.

"Excuse me." She said and exited the hospital wing. Harry watched as she quickly exited, never looking at neither him nor Sirius as she passed. He looked at Ron and Hermione who just shrugged their shoulders as she left the wing.

********

An hour passed as they sat in the hospital wing. The Farewell Feast was tonight, so everyone who wasn't a student or part of the Hogwarts staff decided to stay and join their friends and family for the last feast of the year. But, they would worry about the feast later.

Sirius was about to tell them what had happened to him. Everyone crowded around, except Professors Snape, Trelawny, and Sprout who were taking charge in the Great Hall and the corridors, while the others sat and stared interestedly at Sirius as they waited for him to begin.

"All right, when I fell through the black veil, I thought I was dead or I was going to die. I fell through darkness for what felt like days upon days, needing neither food nor water for some reason… I remember feeling different as I headed through, what felt like, a tunnel of darkness. As I approached the light at the end, my hands weren't hands anymore; they were wings, my feet weren't my own; they belonged to a bird. Then, I thought to myself, that I wasn't human anymore… When I was now in the light, I saw that I had turned into this… hawk."

"Why did it take so long for you to get back?" Harry asked.

"Well, I had to learn how to fly, first, and I have to admit that it wasn't easy, but I got used to it pretty quickly."

"That still doesn't explain why it took you two years to come back." Hermione pointed out.

"I'm getting to that, Hermione," said Sirius. "I knew it would be difficult to get back here without the help of a student or a member of the staff… I knew, last year, it would have been impossible, but this year it was different. I got attacked by this wolf from which I got a broken wing."

"And then you were found by Professor Bronte." Harry finished for him.

"Yes." Sirius agreed, his face drooping slightly from the cheerful one he had had on for the passed hour. Harry noticed this and climbed out of his bed to give his godfather a hug.

"I'm glad you're back." He said. Sirius hugged him back.

"I am too… Listen, Harry, about…" Harry stopped him. He already knew he was going to talk about Professor Bronte, whom he now believed was telling the truth. He figured that it must've been true when he saw Professor Bronte leave without looking at her former fiancée. Of course, this puzzled Harry, for only hours before she couldn't stop talking about how much she loved Sirius. He knew that something must be up.

He excused himself from the hospital wing, saying that he needed to get washed up before the feast. But, he didn't head up to get washed. He headed up to Professor Bronte's office, where he knew she would be.


	15. The Lie

**THE LIE**

As Harry approached the office door, he heard Professor Bronte scrambling around in it. The door was once again ajar and he slowly opened it to see her hurrying to pack her many trunks with her many books. "Professor?" He asked. She stopped in her tracks and turned to look at him. Her hair was tied up on top of her head, but it was laying in an untidy way and her face was flushed, slightly.

"Harry, what are you doing up here? I thought you would stay down there with Sirius."

"I wanted to ask you something."

"This really isn't a good time." She said, going back to her packing.

"You're not staying?" He asked, seeing all of her trunks laying opened on the floor.

"As much as I would like to, I can't. I have other responsibilities to attend to."

"Where are you going to go?"

"I'm going to stay with my father for a bit and sort some things out." She crossed back and forth in front of him a few more times which was beginning to make him dizzy. He decided to bring up Sirius before she was fully packed and was hurrying to leave.

"I'm surprised you're not talking with Sirius. I would think you wouldn't have left him alone." She threw him a slightly icy glare, which he noticed, but did't let it bother him.

"I'd rather not talk about that, right now, Harry."

"But, why? You said that you loved Sirius more than anything and would give anything to see him alive again. You told me that you two were so in love when he was taken away, that…" He stopped as she let out a long sigh and threw a couple of books into the trunk at her feet.

"Harry!" She exclaimed. "Don't you get it? I lied!" She took a seat in her chair and put her head in her hands. Harry gave her a surprised look.

"What do you mean, you lied?" He asked. "You mean, you were never in love with him?"

"It's not that, Harry. I _did_ love Sirius and at times I still do. But, when I gave Sirius the ring, it wasn't for luck." He gave her a confused expression.

"I don't understand."

"Harry, Sirius and I were always fighting when we dated. There was always an argument about something and the night your parents died, we had just had enough. I broke off the engagement before he left to go help… I felt so terrible… I felt like it was all my fault."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Dumbledore." She said.

"What does Dumbledore have to do with this?"

"Remember when I told you that Dumbledore didn't want you to know about my relationship with Sirius?" He nodded. "He told me, that if you asked me about it, to say that I have given the ring to him for luck."

"Why?"

"Because, my life is more difficult than it seems, though most people don't seem to see that." Harry was going to ask what was so bad about her life, but he decided not to. He decided to ask another question instead.

"Don't you think you should at least talk to Sirius about it; make amends?"

"It's not that easy, Harry. I wish I could, but both of us are too stubborn to admit when they're wrong." Harry gave her an angry look.

"So, what are you going to do? Are you going to give up on true love?"

"I wouldn't exactly call it 'true love'."

"I would! Sirius loved you from the first day he met you!… I can't believe you would give up on someone who loved you for you, not for what you are, or what you have? That's the coward's way out!" With that, he quickly left so he could finally get cleaned up for the Farewell Feast.

She didn't bother to call Harry back. He was right. She was taking the coward's way out. "It wouldn't work out." She told herself, though not believing it. "He doesn't love me anymore. Even if he did, he'd never forgive me."


	16. The Farewell Feast

**THE FAREWELL FEAST**

The Great Hall was alive with a buzz. Though a lot of them hadn't been there, every student now knew what had happened in Hogsmeade. Harry sat at the Gryffindor table with Sirius at his side, both of them very refreshed from cleaning themselves up. Sirius had quickly cut his hair short and shaved, which made Harry recognize him as the man in his parents' wedding photo. It was a big change from what he was used to seeing.

Ron sat next to Harry with every member of the Weasley family sitting around him. Mrs. Weasley got teary-eyed at the thought of how brave her children had been against the Dark Lord and she kept blowing her nose loudly into a handkerchief.

Hermione sat with Lupin and Moody. She had gotten on the conversation of Aurors and all the training they had to go through. They were happy to tell her how difficult it would be, since becoming an Auror was very hard work. She found it fascinating, since she was not going in that field, herself.

Dumbledore sat at the staff table, talking to Professor McGonagall about something that made them both give a giggle. None of the students had seen either of them act this way and they only figured that it as because of the previus night's events.

Professor Bronte sat at the head table as well, though not speaking to anyone. She was too deep in though to say a word. Everyone was used to her not talking, but even tonight, she seemed more pale than she had ever looked. Only Harry, Dumbledore, and Sirius knew the reason why.

Then, Dumbledore stood up and the entire room silenced. "Another year has come to a close," he began. "This year has been difficult for all of us, I know, but last night, I realized that I was very proud of you all. As I'm sure you already know, Lord Voldemort had attacked the village of Hogsmeade." A few students winced at the name, but their attention was still on Dumbledore.

"But, we were able to stop him from doing too much damage to our favorite village. A group of students who call themselves my army helped to defeat the Dark Lord. They fought very bravely and I can only think how proud of them I am… These students will receive special honors from the school of Hogwarts as well as from the Ministry of Magic." 

There was a loud round of applause which, Dumbledore noticed, made all of the members of the D.A. blush. "You may be wondering," he began again, "what happened to Voldemort. He was escorted by a team of highly specialized wizards to Azkaban Prison where the Dementors performed their kiss immediately… The Dark Lord is finally gone!" 

There was a thunderous roar of applause as every person in the Great Hall stood up and cheered. Dumbledore waited for them to quiet down, for him to finish his speech. "I have another announcement… As many of you have noticed, we have one of many guests in our company and I ask him to please stand up." Dumbledore looked directly at Sirius who slowly stood up. There were loud gasps heard throughout the hall as those on the other side of the room stood up to see who the guest was. Sirius sat back down before the headmaster began his speech. 

"Sirius Black was convicted of a murderous crime that he did not commit and he is our honored guest tonight, for I have just received a letter from the Minister of Magic. The letter states that he has cleared Sirius of all charges, due to a letter sent to him early this morning. In that letter, there was a confession from the man who framed Sirius and how he did it…" Dumbledore continued for a few more minutes, which Harry didn't pay attention to.

"Why didn't he say who framed you, Sirius?" The older man shrugged.

"Maybe Peter asked that his name be left out."

"But, why did he write the letter in the first place?" Ron asked.

"Harry saved his life, Ron and it must mean that he returned the favor by letting me off the hook." Sirius explained, turning back at the staff table. He glanced at Professor Bronte for only a second to see that she was still lost in though. She quickly looked up and her turned his attention back to Dumbledore.

"Tuck in!" The headmaster exclaimed as mountains of food appeared on the golden plates in front of them. Sirius ate so quickly that it was as if he hadn't eaten in months.

"Mm! This is so much better than rats." He said. A few other Gryffindors looked at him with a disgusted look.

"Sirius, please, I would actually like to keep this meal down." Ron spoke up.

"Sorry. I just haven't eaten this good in a year and a half."

"Being that hawk was terrible, wasn't it?" Hermione asked.

"At times, yes, but other times I kind of liked it." Only Harry noticed that Sirius glanced up at the teacher's table once again.

"Sirius?" Sirius turned his attention back to his godson. "What happened between you and Professor Bronte?"

"She told you?" He asked.

"Yeah, she did." Harry looked down at his plate, not feeling hungry anymore. "She told me that you two were going to get married. She told me that you two had this really bad fight…" He trailed off, slightly.

"She told you about that, huh?" Harry nodded. "Did she tell you what the fight was about?"

"Not exactly… What was it about?"

"You."

"Me?" Sirius nodded, taking a large bite out of a chicken thigh. "What about me?"

"It's not really important, Harry."

"I know. I just want to know."

"All right… She was afraid that I was going to be a bad influence on you as you grew up. I told her she was just being stupid…"

"You called her stupid?" Hermione asked offensively, helping herself to some rice.

"I didn't mean to. It just slipped out."

"Then, what happened?" Harry asked.

"She put a vampiric curse on me." He said, laughing slightly. "It's nothing to laugh at, really." He quickly cleared his throat.

"There's no such thing as a vampiric curse." Hermione spoke up. "They don't even use magic."

"They have their own, Hermione." Sirius said.

"That's true." Harry said.

"How do you know?" Sirius asked.

"She used this spell, last night. You were conked out at the time, though."

"Are you sure that's what it was, though?" Ron asked.

"Positive. She reflected the Avada Kadavra curse that Voldemort used on her."

"That's probably what it was. Did she speak in Romanian?" Sirius asked.

"I think so. She was muttering. But her eyes were glowing red and I was able to see her fangs." Sirius took a drink from his goblet, before taking a roll and shoving it into his mouth, whole. Hermione cringed slightly at the sight.

"I've never read anywhere that vampires use magic." Hermione said.

"Well, they don't really want people to know that, do they?" Sirius asked, wiping his mouth on his napkin.

"So, what's so funny about this curse?" Harry asked, trying to get back to the story.

"Well, nothing, really. She put a curse on me that only lasted a week… I can't remember what it did, though." He laughed again.

"Did you ever think about her while you were in Azkaban?" Hermione asked, thinking that, in some strange way, this was romantic.

"I did until the thoughts of her were sucked out of me, if that's what you mean." Hermione's eyes went wide. It slipped her mind that that was what happened when you were put into Azkaban. She even muttered an apology, which Sirius never heard.

"If you could, would you make up with her?" Sirius looked up at the staff table again, not pulling away when he saw that she was looking at him and Harry. She was the one who quickly looked away.

"I guess. That is, if she would take me back."

********

The feast ended sooner than everyone wanted it to. The students headed up to their dormitories while most of the members of the Order traveled home. Mr. And Mrs. Weasley would be at King's Cross to welcome them the next day. 

Dumbledore arranged a room for Sirius who would travel home with Harry on the train, for which Sirius was grateful. 

Soon the castle was quiet with the sounds of sleep.


	17. Leaving Hogwarts

**_NOTE: This is the final chapter, so please read and review to your hearts content. I won't mind._**

********

**LEAVING HOGWARTS**

None of the seventh years realized how hard it would be to leave Hogwarts for good. They were becoming gloomy and slightly irritant toward others. Especially Harry who had to go back to the Dursley's for a few more weeks. "It won't be that bad." Sirius tried to reassure him. "I have to set up a few things, first. As soon as everything's ready I'll send for you." Harry nodded, though disappointed as he drug his trunk to the Entrance Hall. 

He noticed Professor Bronte standing in the Entrance Hall, counting her trunks in which laid every single one of the books she had had in her office and classroom. (Which would be almost a thousand books, collectively.) He nudged Sirius who turned to see what Harry was looking at. Harry saw Sirius give a little smirk as he looked at her. It was a smile like Harry had never seen on his godfather's face; it was the face of a man in love.

"Go talk to her." Harry said, shoving his godfather toward her. Sirius gulped hard as he slowly approached Professor Bronte.

"Nikolett?" He asked, slightly nervous. She looked up at him with a puzzled look.

"Hello, Sirius." She said, quietly.

"You look very beautiful." He said, admiring her emerald-green robes. She gave him a small smile.

"Thank you."

"So, where are you headed?"

"Father's. Then, I might go to the States… I have some family there." She said.

"That's good." Sirius turned on the balls of his feet to look at Harry who was looking a him with an angry stare. He let out a heavy sigh, then he just exploded. "I heard everything that you told Harry… okay, well not everything, but enough to know that you still love me and I was wondering if it was too impulsive to say that I still love you." He said, very quickly. 

She gave him a puzzled look as she tried to understand what he had just said. "Y-You still love me?" She asked. He gave her his most handsome smile.

"Yes!"

"But, what about…"

"I know you were angry at me and I _do_ regret calling you stupid."

"And I'm sorry I put that curse on you."

"It's okay. It wasn't that bad… At least I don't think it was that bad." She scratched his head slightly, not really remembering much after she had placed that curse on him. "Are you sure you want to go back to your father's? I mean, we could just give it another try, couldn't we?" She gave him a meek smile.

"I'm sorry, Sirius. I can't." She then walked back up the stairs to grab the last trunk from her office. Sirius stood there in awe. Harry hurried over to him.

"What happened?"

"She said she couldn't give us another chance." Harry started to go after her, but Sirius stopped him. "Wait here. I'll go." Sirius then hurried up the staircase to Nikolett's office. When he reached it, he didn't bother to knock. He just burst in. "I don't understand." He blurted out.

"What?" She asked, puzzled.

"You said how much you loved me! I heard you say that to Harry!"

"I wasn't lying. I _do_ still love you." She said.

"Then, what's the problem?"

"Sirius, we've both changed. We're different than we used to be. We were young and naïve when we decided to get married. I didn't know who you really were, back then and you didn't know me either."

"I know you! You're Nikolett Bronte… You're half-witch, half-vampire… You care more than anything for the people you love and would do anything to protect them… And I know that you love me."

"That's not the half of it, Sirius. There is more to me that you know." She bewitched her trunk to follow her as she began to leave.

"It's something about your father, isn't it? This has something to do with him!" He said, following her. She stopped as she and the truck had exited the room.

"And what if it does?" She asked. He let out a long sigh.

"I know what this is about… Your mother told me all about it." Her eyes went wide. She hadn't expected that to exit his mouth.

"Why would she tell you?"

"She felt she needed to… Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because, I didn't know what you'd do."

"Well, for one, I'd tell him that he can't do that to you. You gave our heart to someone and I accepted it; I still do. He can't deny you love."

"Well, he has. There's nothing either of us can do." Sirius' brain was running at high speed as she began to head down the corridor. A solution finally same to him and he ran to catch up with her.

"There is something you could do… Marry me." She quickly stopped and turned to look at him.

"What? M-Marry you? That's not exactly a solution. That'll just add more to the problem."

"But—" He began, but she cut him off by putting a finger to his lips.

"Sirius, don't worry about me. Harry needs you more than I do." He tried to speak again, but she didn't give him the chance. She gave a small smile as she continued. "I'm a big girl. I can take care of myself. Nothing my father plans for me will ever stop that." She gently caressed his cheek. "I _do_ love you, but I realize now that we have our own lives to live. _You_ have Harry, now, and _I_ have what's waiting for me on my return." 

"I don't want you to have to go through all of it alone." He said. She gave him a beautiful smile.

"You don't have to protect me." She said as she ran her hand through his hair; something she had always loved to do. "I'll be fine." She then began to passionately kiss him, which surprised him at first. "Harry needs you, now. You worry about him." She said as she pulled away. Sirius' eyes now looked clouded and distant. He just nodded his head and walked, stiffly, back to his godson. When he approached Harry, life seemed to race through him again.

"So, what happened? What did she say?" Harry asked. Sirius gave him a confused look.

"Who?" He asked.

"Professor Bronte?"

"Oh. Yes, Harry, she is very nice, indeed… Come on, before we miss the train." Harry looked puzzled for a moment before he realized that Sirius had picked up his trunk and began to exit the school. He glanced back at Professor Bronte who just winked at him, before he ran after his godfather.

Nikolett stood in the corridor, hugging herself as if she was cold, but she was just holding back the tears that were threatening to flow. She had just done the hardest thing that she ever thought she could do. "You make me very proud, Nikolett." She heard Dumbledore say from behind her. She turned slightly to look at him.

"I didn't think it would be this hard."

"Yes, I know. But, you did the right thing." She gave him a teary-eyed look.

"I hope you're right."

********

King's Cross was busy with people as they arrived at the train station the next day. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley greeted everyone with open arms. Mrs. Weasley hugged Ron and Ginny tightly as they ran over to her. She gave Harry and Hermione one as well, though a little bit tighter. Mrs. Weasley even gave Sirius a hug, since she was happy to see him alive and well. "I never thought I'd be this happy to see you again." She said to him as she turned back to the children.

Uncle Vernon, Aunt Petunia, and Dudley, who were standing nearby, stared at Sirius as he hugged Hermione and Ginny tightly and even gave Ron a one-armed hug. He looked familiar to them, but they just couldn't figure out where they'd seen him before. They watched closely as Harry approached Sirius. "Don't worry. It's only for a few weeks which will go much faster than you might think."

"You don't know what it's like, there, though. It'll seem like forever."

"I'll try and hurry things along, but I can't promise everything." Harry gave a huge smile and hugged his godfather tightly. Uncle Vernon cleared his throat very loudly to get Harry's attention. "Be good." Sirius warned.

"I'll try." Harry then carried his trunk and Hedwig's cage over to Uncle Vernon. Sirius slowly approached Uncle Vernon with a straight face. He knew that this day would come. He just didn't think this soon.

"You must be Vernon and Petunia." He said, giving a small smile.

"And who the devil are you?" Uncle Vernon asked.

"This is Sirius… You know, my godfather." Harry said, smiling at the sight of terror on their faces.

"Godfather?" Dudley squeaked.

"The escaped murderer?" Petunia asked, lowering her voice.

"He's been let off the hook. The man who framed him confessed and now he's free!" Harry said. Sirius just nodded as he hugged Harry once again and told him, once more to behave while at the Dursely's. "I promise." Harry said as he left his godfather's side and followed his aunt uncle, and cousin out of the train station to once again, return to Privet Drive.

********

**_I know it's a kind of sucky ending for right now, but it makes way for a sequel, doesn't it? And don't worry, I've already started on the sequel... actually I'm almost finished with it, except for some loose ends that need tied._**

**_But, I want to thank all of those who read and reviewed this, because I had fun writing it. It gave me something to do in between classes. :) _**

**_Thanks again!!!_**

**_Wolflver2003_**


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